With the latest release of DTLoggedExec, I’ve also added a nice functionality to make package runtime configuration a little easier, introducing the concept of “Package Parameters”.
I’ve now updated the documentation adding details on how to use this new feature (is *really* easy, but is *really* useful) and, as usual, you can find it on DTLoggedExec wiki:
http://dtloggedexec.davidemauri.it/Package%20Parameters.ashx

In these days I discovered that DTLoggedExec is now officially mentioned in the SQL Server Books Online documentation:
Implementing Logging in Packages
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms138020.aspx
I’m really proud of that! It give me even more will and determination to make this tool more and more powerful and useful.
I have some more features I want to add. If you’re coming to PASS 2009, I’ll have a session on SSIS Logging, so you’ll be able to see it in action with your own eyes:
http://summit2009.sqlpass.org/

In these last days I've released the latest version of DTLoggedExec. Now it has reached version 0.2.2.0.
I planned the release to be done in May, but I added a l lot of stuff and then I realized that logging so much information without being able to automatically import it into SQL Server for further analsys has no clue.
So I decided to hold on a little bit and also improve the DTLoggedExec db that I firstly released with version 0.2.1.4 just as an example of what can be done with the Data Profiling featture, and that news has grown to be official...

On the next 28th of March will take place one of the biggest SQL Server conference in Europe, the SQLBits conference, now arrived at the fourth edition! It’s completely free and it’s held on saturday so that you don’t have any working execuses for not participating :-) SQLBits will be hosted by the Manchester Metropolitan University and with 28 Session will cover the whole SQL Server platform. You can take a look at the agenda here http://www.sqlbits.com/information/NewAgenda.aspx while registration is done through this link http://www.sqlbits.com/information/Registration.aspx and if you plan to attend you’d better be fast...

With the help of these last Holydays, I've been able to release the latest version of DTLoggedExec, the DTExec replacement tool I've been developing from 2006. Beside the usual deep logging of Control Flow, this new version brings a very important and powerful feature: the ability to log and thus profile the Dataflow. This means that is it possible to deeply monitor the performance of ETL through time, also verifying how every change we do impact on it. Here's some examples that I've used on a customer: But where's the news...

It's been a long time since I've been able to work consistenly on my DTLoggedExec tool. Fortunately in these last days I've been able to spare some free time to continue the work, and now, within a few days in September 2008 I should be able realease a new version of it. This new version will contain a new (and imho very very important) feature: DTLoggedExec will be able to profile DataFlow executions, generating a CVS-like file where all the informations on how many rows have been processed by each dataflow component will be available. You can see...

After a while I've realeased a new version of DTLoggedExec, the DTExec replacement:
Compiled to support 32bit and 64bit platforms (32bit and 64bit executables are available in the zipped file)
Updated the ConsoleLogProvider to add a more detailed logging of OnError events. Now all properties, along with related connection properties of the erroneous task are logged. This is IDEAL for post-mortem debugging
Corrected a little bug that prevented the abilility to load packages from SQL Server using SQL Authentication
Display loaded package version
Added Help File
Added Samples Packages
Added Usage Samples
More info and download on CodePlex!

Finally I've realeased a new version of my DTLoggedExec tool.
A lots of improvement from the first public version:
-Switched to a fully pluggable architecture to support 3rd party plugins
-Added "LogEvent" command line switch to choose which events should be logged
-Added support for Expression logging
-Added "Package Name" and "Container ID" values in the console log
Download it from CodePlex!

Today I worked again on DTLoggedExec. I've been able to add the ability to log properties with DTS Expressions associated. This allows the log to show and report properties values in additions to the already present ablity to log variables values.
I'm sure you'll find this feature really helpful if you're using DTS Expression (as you should do) to add flexibility to your SSIS Packages.
The DTLoggedExec that will contain this new feature will be the version 0.1.1.0.

I've created a dedicated page for my DTLoggedExec tool.
http://www.davidemauri.it/dtloggedexec.aspx
By the end of the month (June) i'll put online the full source code. The code and the application are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Italy License.
DTLoggedExec
2006
A tool for running SSIS Packages with full logging informations
Davide Mauri
...

I've been able to work a little on my DTLoggedExec project in this last week. You can find a log execution result here:
http://www.davidemauri.it/files/DTLoggedExec_test_output.txt
DTLoggedExec now supports some of the original DTExec options and is able to log even variables values, as you may see from the link above. DTLoggedExec will also support a plugin architecture so that creating a custom log provider will be as easy as 1-2-3. Currently developed log provider are:
NullLogProvider
SqlServerLogProvider
ConsoleLogProvider
The Null log provider will just trash every information it gets. I'm using it to benchmark the impact of other providers on package execution. SqlServerProvider will send all...

After using a SSIS for quite a lot I decided to develop a DTExec on my own. The reasons can be found in the feature set that I have I mind and I'd like to implement asap:
Ability to switch on/off logging from the execution utility, not only from inside the package (and thus only using Visual Studio)
Avoid to use native log provider and add a personalized concept of logging provider where you can log a LOT more of information. Above all I'm interested in logging variables values for each trappable event. This will make things a lot more easier when you have to understand why a package...

In my previous post I said that "logging begins BEFORE validation and BEFORE package configuration". After talking with Mr. Kirk Haselden (who has been very kind and helped me to better understand how SSIS really works. Thanks a lot Kirk!) I found a clue and a workaround.
The problem, basically, is related to the fact that the configuration "Parent Package Variable" behaves differently from all other configurations. In fact, for the Parent Package Variable configuration, events are fired in the following way:
Logging starts Package is validated Parent Package Variable Configurations are loaded Expression are applied Package is run
which is a...

I'm using SSIS in a big project and as any big project wants, I have to implement a quite extensive logging mechanism. "No problem" you may say. We'll, at least is what I said when I began to take care of logging. Unfortunately things are not *so* easy. To be realistic they're not easy at all.
Let me explain. I have a *lots* of SSIS Packages and many of them just encapsulate reusable logic; as such they are used as sub-packages in other packages. Things are quite complicated so I have a "Matrioska" situation where Packages call Packages that call Packages and...

Last sunday I got stuck when I tried to use the XML Task of System Integration Services Control Flow toolbox.
I was using the April's CTP and the problem was.....the *documentation* :-D. If you want to do an XPATH query within your XML Task you have to use the "Second Operand" properties to define your XPATH query, and *not* the XPathSource properties.
Of course this property is *not* accessible from the "edit" window but you have to look for it using the standard property panel in Visual Studio (aka BI Development Studio).
Hope this help you to save hours of work....